For the First Time in Forever
by WritingQuietly
Summary: Elsa/Anna one shots. [Short hiatus - cause? : Car wreck.]
1. Compromise

The Kingdom of Arendelle had returned to the usual hustle and bustle that had filled its streets before the Great Freeze. The only difference now was that the castle gates had been opened. Permanently. The decision hadn't been made by Queen Elsa, or rather, hadn't been made willingly. Anna was the one who had assumed the gates would always stay open after Elsa had returned the kingdom to it's former glory. And Elsa hadn't had the heart to disabuse her younger sister of the notion despite one small important fact.

Elsa wasn't ready to open the gates.

She wasn't ready to be surrounded by so many different people after a life of isolation. The elder sister wanted somewhere safe to retreat to at the end of the day's important political meetings. Managing the affairs of an entire kingdom was one matter. Having said entire kingdom wandering the royal palace and grounds was another. But Anna hadn't understood and now Elsa was hiding more and more behind the door that had separated the two sisters for most of their childhoods.

Now Anna stood poised before the powder blue door in the midst of a very important decision. Emphasis on very important. The ginger haired girl chewed her lower lip as she slowly raised a hand in preparation to knock, gentle apologies and heartfelt explanations poised on the tip of her tongue. Oh, how she could explain to Elsa the many ways compromise could be sought. How she might bring Elsa out of her icy shell and watch with joy and delight as it melted away leaving the warm and loving sister she had always longed for.

Almost unnoticeable, a gentle pattern of frost etched itself across the surface of the door, catching Anna's attention and causing her to withdraw her hand. Veins of frost stretched across the painted swirls of blue upon the door. Anna sucked in a breath, feeling the sudden bite of cold in the air, ginger brows furrowing in worry. A small wheedling voice in the back of her mind whispered that forcing her sister to thaw on command wasn't the real answer.

Instead of knocking, the young princess bent forwards and pressed an ear to the chilly surface. Nothing. No sounds at all. For all she knew, Elsa could be up in the observatory tower gazing at stars, or raiding the larder for sweets, or talking to the portraits on the walls ... wait. No. Those were all things that Anna would be doing. She doubted Elsa even knew they had an observatory tower let alone how to get to get there. Exploring the castle had been more her thing. Locking herself behind a door and pushing everyone away out of fear had been more Elsa's thing.

With a sigh the princess pulled away from the door, rubbing at one cold red ear, before tentatively asking, "Elsa? Please, I know you're you in there..." Silence pressed in against the younger sister as she stood alone in the darkened hallway. Words from a long ago plea echo in her mind bringing back the same desperation she had felt upon receiving word of their parents' death.

Anna raises her voice, singing softly, "I'm right out here for you, just let me in." Sun kissed fingertips trace the spiraling fractals racing across the door as the frost increases. Her heart jumps painfully in her chest to see it. No. Not again. "Please don't shut me out again ... please don't slam the door."

On an impulse, the princess wraps her hand around the icy doorknob, giving it an experimental twist. "Remember?" she whispers, the words leaving her lips in a frosty cloud. "You don't have to keep your distance anymore."

Elsa's room has been transformed. Snowflakes hang suspended in the air as Anna steps into the room with a little shiver. Her hands come up to chafe at her bare arms. "Even if I didn't before, I finally understand." She takes a few more steps into the room before her eyes catch the blanket wrapped form resting on the comfortable sitting sofa before the frosted window. "We can find a way to compromise. We can fix this hand in hand."

No response.

Anna sank down onto the floor, dress pooling out around her folded legs, ignoring the freezing cold that was cutting through her to the bone. Words weren't working. Anna nodded once to herself before gathering up her courage. She reached out tentatively, taking in another deep breath of biting cold air, before announcing, "I'm going to touch your shoulder, Elsa. Please don't be afraid."

Despite her warning, the covered shoulder flinched when Anna's fingertips grazed against the blanket. The younger girl didn't give up, rubbing slow soothing circles against her older sister's shoulder, subtly moving closer to where Elsa laid. The other girl shifted her shoulder causing Anna's hand to fall away. Still, she refused to speak.

Anna's face scrunched up as she pulled her hand back to rest against her chest. Even if she was sitting right besides her sister, she might as well have been standing out in the hall again, with that same blue door closed once more in her face. "Elsa ..." The princess thought hard before resigning with a sigh and letting her head rest lightly against Elsa's back. Anna stared down at the ice covering the otherwise comfortable cushions of the sitting sofa and wondered how her sister never felt the cold that would otherwise send her running. "... I'll tell you a secret. But only if you promise not to tell anyone else."

That got the other girl's attention. Elsa turned, even if only a little, and the blanket slipped off enough so that her silky platinum blonde hair was visible.

"I love the gates being open. I love being able to greet all the people in the town whenever I want. But ..." She reaches out and tugs the purple blanket back up over where it had slipped down over Elsa's shoulder. "Even I get overwhelmed sometimes. And if I'm feeling swamped, then I know you've got to be feeling absolutely crazy."

Anna blinked and scooted back as her sister slowly raised up from where she'd been laying on the plush sitting sofa. Elsa looked down at her younger sibling uncertainly as though if unsure of whether or not to believe her words. The ice queen ran a hand through her perfect hair and the princess watched as it unbelievably fell back into place.

"That's so unfair," Anna blurted out, pointing to the other girl's hair.

Elsa, for her part, appeared confused, looking at her hand that had moments before combed through her hair. "Wait. What's unfair?"

Anna gestured to her older sister and said in exasperation, "That thing you just did with your hair! You're always so perfect!"

A small smile begins to form on Elsa's lips causing a flush to sweep up Anna's face. "N-Not that you're _always_ perfect, I mean we're all human even if you do have these weird ice powers. I-I didn't mean _weird_ powers, just supernatural, like, super extraordinary! Like your perfect hair!" Anna gestures to Elsa with a faint grimace at how badly she was failing at this moment. "No matter what, you always have perfect hair, even in the middle of that snowstorm you raised you had perfect hair! I've even seen you sleeping and _still _it's perfect! Whenever I sleep, I always wake up with the absolute _worst_ case of bed head and-"

"You've seen me sleeping?"

_'Way to stick your foot in your mouth,' _Anna thought, giving in to her embarrassment and burying her face in her hands. She sat there and swore that when she next opened her mouth it would be to do what she'd came here. To reassure Elsa. _'Hey, we could close the gates, what was the big deal anyways? Sure, it'd be nice to have them open every once in a while, but we can work around your schedule to make you feel more comfortable, because hey, who doesn't get tired of people asking you a gazillion and one questions all the tim-'_

Cold hands gingerly took Anna's hands away from her face, leaving the girl to stare up at her big sister in complete embarrassment. Elsa watched the emotions flash across Anna's face and when the red head opened her mouth, pressed a chilled fingertip against her lips. That adorable flush only increased as Elsa brought her hands up to cradle the younger girl's face, thumbs stroking over red cheeks. _'So warm,'_ she thought as the room around began to slowly thaw.

She had been feeling horrible for weeks now. So many people surrounding her at all hours of the day, royal visitors asking for this favor or that law, servants accidentally bumping into her when she sought escape, and Anna at the center of the chaos, looking so very happy. The frost spiraling across the window panes began to slowly condense and streak down to the window sill, melting as Elsa said, "I thought you would have outgrown sneaking into my room a long time ago, Anna."

_'And there it is. That blush hasn't lost it's charm even after all these years,'_ Elsa thought with a secretive smile, feeling the new flash of heat hit her cold hands, Anna whining in protest.

"Jeez, it's not like I was being a total _creep_ or anything! I mean, if anyone else had snuck into your room while you were asleep, I can _totally_ get behind that being creepy. I mean, ick, really? But I'm your sister, and sometimes I just get so worried, like maybe you're having bad dreams, or your powers are taking control again..."

Elsa's face fell and she tried to stem the flow of Anna's words. "Anna..."

"No!" Anna took Elsa's hands in hers and said, "I worry Elsa. I worry that you'll shut me out again, just like you had to thirteen years ago. I understand. You had reasons. But I don't want to lose you again, and if the gates being opened means you're just going to lock me out again..." Anna's words spilled out of her mouth so fast that she lost her steam, taking in a deep breath, before seeing the crestfallen look in Elsa's ice blue eyes. She tried hard to ignore the pressure building up behind her eyes as she feebly admitted in a small voice, "...I'd rather the gates be shut forever. So long as I don't have to lose you again."

Elsa watched in shock as tears began to gather in Anna's eyes, reaching out with a soft sound of pain to gather her sister to her in a cool embrace, whispering, "Oh, Anna. That's never going to happen. You won't lose me." Her sister smells like sunshine, of things warm and alive, and as Elsa closes her eyes, she adds softly, "You might have lost me once, but please believe me, you will never lose me again. Didn't you know?"

Anna sniffled, fighting back the tears as they came, burying her burning face into Elsa's shoulder.

"What?"

Elsa smiled as she brought one hand up to stroke at the single thick line of white streaking ginger hair.

"You have and always will be my heart."

* * *

A/N: So. A fic of love beginning to bloom or just sisterly affection. Call it whatever you will but I like to think of this fic as an Elsanna one. We'll see how well I do at writing a different prompt for this fandom a day, so expect to see a variety of one shot chapters here. If you like a particular story somewhere along the line and are just dying to see it continued as a multi-chaptered fic, please share that in a review and if possible, I'll start a separate story with updates specifically pertaining to that plot. Also. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have a great one. Peace!


	2. Fine Dining

Olaf waddled carefully into the large dining hall with a happy smile on his face. After Anna had told him of her idea to finally confess to Elsa that she _like_ liked her, he had given her many warm hugs and agreed to help in whatever way he could.

So it was only natural of him to visit Kristoff's family! They were the greatest love experts in the Kingdom of Arendelle. Grandpabbie hadn't been around at the time but Bulda had rolled up to him and offered the bestest surprise of all! Boy, would Anna be happy with this new gift.

His stick arms waved from side to side as he walked up to the smaller table where the two sisters sat. Elsa looked a little uncomfortable sitting at the small table across from her sister. Olaf could tell. He was her creation after all. But there would be no being uncomfortable tonight! That wasn't what they were all here for! He reached up with one of his tiny twig hands and lightly patted Elsa on the shoulder. The Ice Queen flicked her gaze down at the little snowman and some of her discomfort eased.

"Olaf. What are you doing here?"

Before the snowman could open his mouth to reply Anna had already sprung into action.

"Oh! Well, y'know this is a sort of important dinner- I mean relaxing dinner! Not important! Even if I do have something really important to share with you, but that's for later, and there's _totally_ no reason to be worried because, you know, I'm your sister! I mean, not just your sister, we could be totally more than that, but- wait, what?"

Olaf guffawed as the younger princess's face flamed a bright red and Elsa stared at her sister as though the girl had grown a second head.

"Don't worry, Elsa!" Olaf chimed in his usual happy go lucky voice, "Anna came up with this dinner idea as a sort of treat!"

The discomfited expression slowly began to melt away from Elsa's face as her gaze fell away from Anna and onto the snowman. She watched as Olaf half danced half walked over to Anna and motioned her down. "I got you something special for the meal!" he whispered. Anna's blue green eyes widened a little at that and he knew from her fidgety rambling the girl was very nervous. But she shouldn't be! Because he was Olaf and, asides from liking warm hugs, he was here to help.

"So, without further ado," Olaf trailed off and slapped his little bark hands together with a smile.

Oh wow, look at that! It looked like Anna had just swallowed a mouthful of yellow snow! That wasn't good. But it wasn't possible for him to carry the big platters of food without help. It was why he had asked Kristoff to help with that part!

The ice harvester lumbered into the hall with two plates of heaping food, yelling back at Sven to stay in the hall. The reindeer peeked morosely around the corner but as soon as Olaf waved to him he perked right up. Olaf would have to remember to give Sven warm hugs later too for being such a good reindeer.

Kristoff cleared his throat as he stopped by the table. Olaf wondered why Anna was suddenly sinking down into her chair like that. Was there something interesting underneath the table? He lifted up the pale blue fabric covering the table and didn't see anything interesting. Just one of Anna's booted feet nervously tapping against one another and Elsa's pretty blue heels. He stood and waddled back from the table before raising his stick hands once more and clapping his twig hands together.

With a roll of his eyes, Kristoff placed two plates of steaming food down on the table in front of each girl. "Your meal," he said in an extremely monotone voice, "Is served."

Olaf practically beamed. He had talked to the chefs about creating a wonderful meal for which Anna to confess over. They had at first been startled by the idea but took it in stride. After he had given them the special ingredient that Bulda had offered up the chefs had smiled and started laughing. It seemed that they knew what was so special about this ingredient after all! Even though Olaf had asked, they had only laughed and sat him to wait in a corner furthest from the heated ovens and burning stove tops.

He watched curiously as Kristoff looked at Anna, the girl wincing in reaction and sinking even further into the chair, before shifting his gaze back over towards Elsa. Oh no. Kristoff wasn't angry, was he? Well. He could fix that with warm hugs! And that is what the little snowman did, clinging to the thick coarse leggings the ice harvester wore, and hugging him with all he had.

"Huh?"

Kristoff looked down at the clingy little snowman and frowned, then experimentally gave his leg a little shake. Nope. No dice. Olaf kept looking up at him with those wide eyes, mouth spread in a wide smile, and he had to give a little sigh. If he had to lose Anna he supposed he would rather it be to the beautiful Queen of Arendelle instead of some scum sucker like Hans. He looked up and gazed at Anna who, if the wide panicked look in her eyes, was dreading his next words.

It looked like he would just have to prove her wrong and be the better reindeer.

Because reindeer were better than people. Didn't you know?

Kristoff lifted his broad shoulders in a genial shrug before reaching out and patting Anna once on the shoulder. The ginger haired princess looked up at him and when he smiled and repeated the gesture, some of that fear fled from her eyes. His heart ached a little but he would have plenty of suitors after his appointment as Ice Master and Deliverer of Arendelle. He also didn't want to lose either Anna or Elsa as the good friends they had come to be.

Elsa's eyes flicked from between Anna and Kristoff before she asked hesitantly, "Should I leave you two alone for a moment, or ..."

"No!" Both Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf exclaimed at the same time. Anna leaning across the table, Kristoff removing his hand from the princess's shoulder, and Olaf waving tiny stick arms around the air. Elsa's icy blue gaze narrowed as she stared hard at all three individuals before stating in the firmest voice she could form, "One of you had better explain what is going on here."

Kristoff laughed nervously, reaching up to tousle his light blonde hair with one mitten covered hand. "I don't know what you're talking about." He pointed at his chest. "I'm just the guy who delivers the food."

Olaf waddled off to sit in the corner, waving towards Elsa as he happily said, "And I'm just the waiter!"

That left Elsa's icy stare centered on the only person left who seemed to be ready to melt on the spot from embarrassment.

"Anna..." Elsa warned, preparing herself for whatever unfortunate news or mishap her sibling had gotten into. Again.

The younger princess winced and picked up a fork, stabbing at a bit of pasta, twirling it around the silver polished tines. "Let's eat before it gets cold, shall we?" And with that Anna proceeded to shovel in a mouth full of the delicious pasta that sat upon her plate. Eyes narrowed, Elsa waited for a few more seconds before picking up a fork with a sigh and began to eat with Anna in complete silence.

Olaf saw Kristoff shoot him one last look, which the snowman returned with a twiggy version of a thumbs up, before escaping back out to the hall where Sven awaited. The sound of the closing door reverberated throughout the mostly empty dining hall as the softer sounds of utensils clicking against plates began to fill the space. Olaf sat, forgotten for a time, and observed the dinner continue on in the awkward strained silence.

He could have fixed that with warm hugs but this time he would leave that to Anna.

"So," Anna began, drawing out the first word as she swirled more pasta around her fork.

Elsa looked up from where she had silently been eating and froze, brow furrowing, before pointing towards Anna's plate with her own fork. "Anna. Why are your mushrooms blue?"

"Blue?" The ginger haired girl looked down and pierced one of the tiny capped fungus before bringing it up to her face. "Wow. Blue. Uh, no idea." She shrugged her shoulders and replied honestly, "Maybe the cooks ran out of the regular kind?"

Elsa slowly nodded, a small smile curving her lips. She glanced over one shoulder and shot Olaf an exasperated look a the little snowman frantically waved one stick arm in greeting. _'Clever little snowman,'_ the Ice Queen thought before going back to her meal, _'At least now I'll find out what has Anna so tied up in knots.'_

She didn't have to wait long before Anna's meal began to have the desired effects. The younger sister leaned back in her chair, waving at her face, other hand undoing the clasp on her purple cloak. "Phew. Was it always so hot?"

Elsa concealed a smile in the palm of her hand, resting her arm on the table as she watched the flush begin to spread across Anna's face. "I wouldn't know."

Anna nodded, putting her fork down as she leaned back in her chair. "Of course you wouldn't. You have ice powers. I bet you never feel hot."

The way she had phrased those words caused a slight blush to tinge Elsa's cheeks pink. Thankfully the younger girl didn't notice. "But me? I am absolutely _dying _right now. Jeez." She brought an arm up to wipe away the imaginary sweat beaded upon her brow. The Ice Queen continued to watch Anna quietly as the red flush continued growing brighter and brighter upon her sister's cheeks.

Eventually she laughed, unable to wait any longer and asked, "So, are you going to tell me why you arranged this special dinner, Anna?"

"What?" Anna's attention had been caught by the soft snowfall that fell outside the window. She glanced back at her sister. "Oh. Dinner. Right." She nervously fiddled in her seat and jumped when Olaf tugged on her skirt. "Anna, are you ready for dessert yet?"

"Dessert." She looked over at Elsa, _really_ looked at Elsa, before replying, "Dessert would be so awesome right now."

Olaf smiled and nodded his misshapen snowman's head once before waddling over towards the door to the hallway. He looked back over one shoulder before calling out, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do! I'll be riiiiiight back!"

* * *

His words left both young blushing women to their quiet thoughts as he tottered off for the dessert.

Olaf stared morosely at the wooden door with sadness in his heart. He thought he would have been able to carry two small plates of chocolate cake but had dropped them on his way back from the kitchens. The snowman hated the idea of letting down his bestest friend Anna and of course his creator Elsa.

Laughter rang out from the dining hall and, curious little snowman that he was, Olaf peeked around the corner. "Oooooooh ..." he breathed in delight watching as Anna made faces at her sister from across the small table while boisterously telling a story. Elsa was practically in tears as Anna took one of her braids and used the end as a pretend mustache, lowering her voice in one of stern disapproval.

"And if I catch you raiding the larder again, I'm going to make sure you eat only broccoli for the next whole week! Steamed broccoli, boiled broccoli, broccoli baked into tarts. Tarts!" Anna stuck out her tongue in disgust. "Seriously, baked into tarts? What was he even thinking?"

Elsa had tears in her eyes, brushing them away on the tips of her fingers, laughing. Anna seemed pleased that her story had the desired effect before an all too serious expression settled over her face. She smacked open palms against the wooden surface of the table and opened her mouth.

Elsa jumped a little at the sudden change. She looked into Anna's eyes and saw the seriousness behind her sister's jovial attitude. The Ice Queen felt her heart rate speed up as she settled back against the wooden chair to watch her sister. Here it came. The whole reason for this special dinner.

"...What were we talking about again?"

Anna smiled sheepishly before settling herself back down in the chair. In some far off distant part of her mind, she knew she was being ridiculous, but all her inhibitions had flown out the window.

"Anna!"

She shrieked as a twig like hand tugged on the skirt of her dress. "Olaf?"

Elsa was besides herself with laughter again causing Anna to shoot her a scathing look before glancing back down at the little snowman. She smiled, reaching down to rest one hand against the snowman's shoulder. Or where his shoulder would be if he were better formed. "What is it, little guy?"

Olaf looked up at her with a wide smile and asked, "When are you going to confess your undying love to Elsa?

A pin could have dropped and Olaf would have heard it. That's how quiet it was.

He looked and watched as all the color drained from Anna's face. It looked as though it had left the princess's face and flew right smack into her sister's cheeks. He watched as Anna turned to face Elsa and as the princess opened her mouth to respond, the Queen raised one pale hand. Olaf waddled back a little ways and sat himself down on the carpet, stick hands reaching out to rest on the tops of his feet. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! Now they could all have a happily ever after!

Elsa lowered her hand after she was sure she had Anna's attention.

"You have feelings for me." She watched as Anna slowly nodded her head, though her sister's eyes were cast down to stare at her knotted hands. "More than sisterly feelings."

"I can explai-"

"Don't."

Why weren't they smiling? Olaf watched as Elsa raised herself up from the chair. Why did Elsa look so angry? And Anna look so sad? Olaf didn't like this. Not one little bit.

"Anna! We have a kingdom to run! What would our subjects say?"

"Oh, oh!" Olaf raised his stick arm high in the air. When the snowman realized he was being ignored, he promptly detached it and held it even higher in his free hand, waving around his arm in desperation. "Me, Elsa! Let me answer that!"

Both the sisters turned to look at him as he got to his snowman feet. "The cooks already knew they were preparing a special dinner for you two!" He watched the look of horror flash over both sister's faces and said hurriedly, "They were confused at first! But then they were happy! Like you two should be now."

He waddled over towards the two of them and tugged at Anna's hand, guiding her over to her frozen sister's side. Why did humans make being happy so hard? He didn't think he would ever understand. "So ..." Olaf said as though speaking to two slow children, "Now all that's left is for you two to kiss and make up! Then _everyone_ will have the happy ending they wish for!"

Elsa raised a hand up to press against her face. Anna sighed, looking down at the carpet where she gingerly toed at the intricate designs spread across the fuzzy surface.

"Anna."

The ginger haired girl's head whipped up so fast she winced, bringing up one hand to rub her neck.

"Yes Elsa?"

The Ice Queen looked at her sister and Olaf could tell, he just _knew_ that Elsa would do the right thing. And he wasn't disappointed.

"We've only just reconciled our pasts." Elsa watched as Anna's face fell. The girl obviously had prepared for rejection, but not well enough to brush it off so smoothly.

"It's okay, Elsa," Anna began to ramble, turning halfways from the other girl, trying to steady her trembling voice, "It was weird anyway, you know? I was so worried what the others would think, but especially you, because I couldn't lose you again, which is why I thought of this dinner, I mean hey, guys have been arranging these sort of romantic thing for _ages_ and girls haven't complained yet, so I thought if I could tell you here, without anyone around, Olaf excluded, because snowman don't really count. Not to say Olaf doesn't count! He's sweet, adorable, and is always ready to give warm hugs, an-"

"Anna."

The tentative cool fingertips brushing against her own hand brings the other girl to a stammering halt. Olaf watches with relief as Elsa smiles at Anna and slowly intertwines her fingers with the other girls. "I don't want to lose you either. I know how you hate waiting for everything but ..." Elsa bit her lower lip as she glanced down at their entangled fingers. "Do you think you could wait for me?"

Olaf squealed with delight as Anna threw herself into Elsa's arms, babbling on and on, while the older girl wrapped her arms around her sister, smiling fondly down at the top of Anna's ginger head. She lifted her ice blue eyes and Olaf could have sworn he saw them twinkle. And when Elsa waved him out of the dining hall, he went gladly. But Olaf was always a curious little snowman! So he snuck one last peek into the room and what he saw almost made him melt into a warm puddle on the carpet right there.

Anna was crying, trying to wipe her tears away as she laughed and smiled as Elsa tilted the younger girl's head up with cool fingers before leaning down, pressing her lips against the princess's own.

Olaf sighed and closed the door with a soft creak before tottering off down the hallway.

Happy endings were always so much fun and one of the few things he loved in this world even more than warm hugs.

A/N: So! Today's writing prompt was as follows. _A couple is dining at a restaurant. One half of the couple seems to be tripping balls, while the other seems genuinely amused by this. Write a story about this from the perspective of the server. Keep in mind, the server knows this couple and does not know them to be trippy. Also, the server is not human._ Kind of a tall order to fill, huh? I flipped between POVs but it's mostly told from Olaf's own. Well, I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. Have a great one. Peace!


	3. Love Struck

"That's weird," Cupid said aloud while scratching the back of his head in bewilderment. "I've never hit the wrong person like that before." He watched the three people gathered far below on the snowy landscape before shrugging his shoulders and taking off through the clouds. How could he have known what chaos he'd just unleashed upon the snowy kingdom of Arendelle?

Elsa grabbed her chest, suddenly struggling to breath. Kristoff and Anna were happily engaged in their usual banter, arguing back and forth, with the occasional grunt of the reindeer pacing along besides them. He wouldn't be convinced to stay behind in the stables. Which, for now, appeared to be a good thing.

Sven paused and looked over one shaggy shoulder to where the Ice Queen was clutching at her chest. His brown eyes widened before he turned back towards Kristoff.

"Hey!" Kristoff shouted in surprise as Sven butted his arm with quite a bit of force. He rubbed his arm with a grimace as Anna stopped walking. "Geez, Sven. What's wrong with you?"

Sven stamped his reindeer hooves in the soft powdery snow and jerked his head back towards where Elsa was now kneeling in obvious distress. Before Kristoff could even process this, Anna had bolted to her sister's side.

"Elsa!" Anna cried, her gloved hands reaching out and pressing against her sister's shoulders. "What's wrong? Are you alright? Please, Elsa, tell me what's wrong!"

The throbbing in Elsa's chest grew more pronounced and as Anna's hands slipped to cup her sister's cold cheeks and when their eyes meet, Elsa knew.

She knew she loved her sister.

* * *

Kristoff stood scratching his head as Anna helped Elsa over to rest by the fire. The younger girl's cheeks were flushed as she ran around the room, gathering up soft pillows and smooth blankets, before returning to prop her sister up, only to dart off again.

A strange flush had spread across Elsa's cheeks ever since her collapse outside and if Kristoff hadn't known any better, he would have thought it was Anna's fault. The way Elsa's fever bright eyes trailed after her sister as she whipped from one corner of the room to the other. The way her tongue traced the contours of her lower lip as Anna turned away and bent to fetch some other item. If Kristoff didn't know any better, he would say Elsa was definitely in love with her sister. As in more than the family way.

It felt like a weight had just struck him over the head. He backed away from the two sisters as Elsa lowered her gaze and stared at the hands folded demurely in her lap.

Oh, wow.

Despite his initial shock, Kristoff had to admit it was quite a novel idea. He'd heard things, tales told over the fire in the ice harvester camps, about this very thing. At first he'd brushed it off as just another bawdy tale told by older weathered ice men. But there. That look, the fast breathing, the eyes tracing the other girl's every move. Here were the very same signs.

Kristoff crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side and contemplated why he wasn't upset. After all, Anna _was_ his lover. Even if they hadn't kissed since that time.

_'Hell,'_ he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. _'I don't think Anna really understands how to love that way. But maybe ...'_ he thought as Anna leaned over and Elsa ducked her head away from her sister's worried gaze, _'Maybe she knows enough to love Elsa.'_

It pricked his pride. Truly, it did. But Kristoff wasn't a man to hold a grudge and knew when a match was lost. And this one had been long ago decided when Anna had sacrificed herself for her sister. With a sigh, the ice harvester lumbered over towards the two sisters, even as he drew further and further away from Anna.

Well. If you couldn't beat them, then join them.

"Any more room on the couch?"

Anna looked up from where she leaned over Elsa. An Elsa who was doing her determined best not to meet her blue green eyes. Frustrated, Anna huffed before plopping herself down on the couch besides her sister. "Of course there's room. It's big enough to have room for Olaf and even Sven after you sit down."

Elsa's eyes darted up to Kristoff before lowering. He watched as she chewed indecisively on her bottom lip before rising to make room for him besides Anna. Oh no. He hadn't grown up with the best love experts in the kingdom without learning a thing or two from the trolls. With a deep sigh, he settled his impressive bulk onto the couch besides the Ice Queen, forcing her to press up against her sister.

He watched, raising one golden eyebrow at the heated flush spreading across Elsa's face once again. It was kind of cute, in a frustrating sort of way. These two would take forever to realize their feelings for another. Well. Elsa would take forever before admitting it. So his only hope was to see if he could cajole Anna into opening her heart a little more to Elsa.

"Kristoff!" Anna shouted in mild annoyance as her sister was practically shoved into her lap. "Seriously. We are going to have a talk about your manners later." The tall ice harvester only shrugged his shoulders as Anna wrapped a protective arm around Elsa.

"Elsa, are you alright?" Anna asked softly as the older of the two buried her face in two cool hands. The red head angrily jerked her head up, mouth open to give her burly mountain friend what for, when she stopped, staring at him in irritated confusion. He was gesturing, but what he was trying to communicate, she had no idea.

"Use your words, Kristoff."

The ice harvester tossed his hands up high in the air before sullenly slumping back into the comfortable cushions of the couch, folding two arms across a broad chest, staring at Anna. Kristoff jerked his head towards Elsa and mouthed something.

_'She needs you. Comfort her.'_

Anna stared at him like he'd grown a second head before she noticed the steam. "Wha-?" The princess watched in shock as steam rose from Elsa's shaking form. "Elsa! What's wrong?"

The all too knowing ice harvester scooted as far as he could away from the two now that Anna had wrapped her arms around Elsa. He would be content to watch for now and see how things played out.

"Elsa," Anna spoke softly, forcing her sister's face out of hiding, lifting her chin up until their eyes met. "What's going on?"

Pale blue eyes widened in fear and ... something else. Anna watched the blush racing across her sister's face and the steam rising from her form. Was this embarrassment? But what did Elsa have to be embarrassed about? Anna cupped her sister's face in both hands, thumbs rubbing across the warmed cheeks, and watched as Elsa's eyes dropped as the steam increased.

"Oh for the love of ice, Anna!" Kristoff spoke up from his side of the couch, managing to startle both sisters apart. "What do you do when you're embarrassed to be around someone you like?" He points at Elsa who has frozen besides her sister. "It doesn't take a genius to figure it out."

Anna glanced between Kristoff's pointing finger and back towards Elsa, before looking back towards Kristoff. Uh oh. He watched as ginger brows drew together and slim lips turned down into a frown. "You have a crush? On _him_?" Her words instantly thawed the Ice Queen who jumped at the implication.

"No ... oh, no Anna. I don't have a crush on Kristoff." She grimaced as though the very idea were painful. "I know better." Elsa brought one pale hand up to brush away the strand of platinum blonde hair that had fallen out of place, tucking it behind one pink tipped ear. "You honestly don't think I would try to steal away someone you love ..." She paused, hesitant, before asking softly, "Or do you?"

Kristoff threw his hands up in the air. Why was this love stuff always so hard?

Anna stared at Kristoff who was obviously arguing with himself and then back towards Elsa who sat staring at her expectantly, pale brows drawn together in poorly disguised pain. "No, Elsa. I don't think that you would ever do anything like that. I don't even think it's possible." Anna looked over at Kristoff with one raised eyebrow. "I do, however, think it's entirely within the realm of possibility that _he_ has fallen for _you_."

"What?!"

Kristoff jumped off the couch and Anna followed him, backing the ice harvester up step by step, poking one stiff finger against his broad chest. "You heard me, ice boy!"

"You're insane, Anna!" Then it struck him as to how he could turn this situation around in his favor. "How would I ever fall in love with _Elsa_ of all people?"

Anna glowered at the blonde haired man who towered over her and began counting off on her fingers.

"One, she's incredibly sensitive. Two, she _always_ has the kingdom's best interest at hand even if it puts her needs second! Three, oh, I don't know, she's only just the most absolutely drop dead gorgeous woman in all of Arendelle!"

Kristoff watched in amused satisfaction as Elsa's pale blue eyes widened in surprise.

"Four! She can do _everything_ with ice. Your passion! I mean, she practically embodies all that is good about winter."

He laughed as steam began to rise up from Elsa's face.

"This isn't funny, Kristoff! Five!" Anna had backed him up against the door to the room. "She loves chocolate. Six! Chocolate! Seriously, how can you not _love_ someone who adores chocolate? Seven! She's capable of creating _life_."

Kristoff wondered how much more Elsa could tolerate before she stopped Anna from extolling her virtues to the ice man.

"Eight! She's a queen. A flipping," Anna stamped her foot as though to accentuate her words, tossing both hands up in the air as she did so, "seriously smoking, always adoring, beyond benevolent queen!"

"Anna ..."

Elsa had risen to her feet and was slowly approaching the arguing couple.

"No, Elsa!" Anna threw up her free hand, the other still busily prodding Kristoff in his chest. "Nine! She will always protect those she loves! Even the ones who are still gossiping about her ice powers! Because she's just that kind of person."

Kristoff smiled as Elsa rested a hand against Anna's shoulders, watching the fierce blue green eyes in front of him well up with tears. "Ten." The fiery red head stated in a weak trembling voice, "Because she's my sister, and I love her so _so_ much, and how could you not fall for her? I understand, trust me, I do, because if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't be able to resist either, I mean-"

Elsa whirled Anna around, the surprised girl frozen in shock, still with finger extended into the air, tears welling up in her eyes. The older girl cupped Anna's face with a weak smile of her own, tears falling down her face, and replied, "Anna. I don't think Kristoff is in love with me. In fact," the Ice Queen turned to shoot the mountain man an exasperated look. "I think he was trying to trick you into admitting you loved me." When Anna's face still stayed in the same expression of shocked confusion, Elsa ventured tentatively, "As _more_ than a sister."

That did the trick. Anna's mouth fell open and her head whipped around, red braided hair flying about her face, a look of surprise spreading across her face. Kristoff laughed, folding his arms across his chest, and stated, "Hey. I grew up with the love experts." He gave an offhand shrug of his wide shoulders. "What can I say?"

"Oh, you- you- " Anna's hands balled into fists and Kristoff thought for a minute he was going to be struck before Anna fell against his chest, crying. He blinked, lifting one gloved hand to awkwardly pat the girl's shaking back, before looking up towards Elsa with a pitiful 'help me' forming on his lips.

Elsa took a step forwards and pressed herself up against Anna's back, wrapping her arms around the girl's trembling form. Ice cold lips pressed close to a reddened ear and whispered, "I'm so happy you love me, Anna. Because ... because I feel the same way."

Kristoff sighed as Anna turned and fell into Elsa's arms, lifting one gloved hand up to tousle his short blonde hair. It might be a while before the water works ended, but he would stay until no longer needed, making sure that these two wouldn't let the usual concerns stand in the way of their happiness. After all, it wasn't every day that you fell in love with your sister.

He blinked in surprise as he felt a cold hand tugging him forwards and found himself holding Anna as much as her sister. Kristoff looked up into Elsa's eyes and saw her fondness for his actions reflecting back to him. 'Thank you' she mouthed as her younger sister trembled between them. He only smiled, albeit a little ruefully, lifting one hand to pat Anna on top of the head.

"Take care of her, okay? Because she can get into quite a few messes. And she has this tendency to get super extreme. Her strength too, oh man, don't get me started there. Best be careful or she might squeeze you to death with a hug."

Elsa smiled, the pearly white of her teeth flashing for one brief instant. "I'll take good care of her." Thin pale arms wrapped around Anna's form. "I promise you." And as Elsa kissed away Anna's tears, and Anna continued to ramble on half crying and half accusing, Kristoff crossed his arms once more and smiled to himself.

He might just be the best love expert in the history of Arendelle after this.

A/N: So. This is the Valentine's Day prompt. _What would happen if Cupid hit the wrong person?_ I hesitated on whether the arrow would strike Anna or Elsa and then figured it had better hit the Ice Queen, because who knows if she'd have had the courage to face a feisty love struck Anna. Try to protect her 'for her own good'. So! We bypassed that silliness. Again, thank you to those who are still reading, and a special shout out for Dagron. :o You're awesome, mate.


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